OECD report: Finnish health care system is in fairly good shape
Drug costs high, treatment queues long, shortage of doctors in rural areas
|
|
|
A fresh report by the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development says that by international comparison, the Finnish health care system is in fairly good shape.
Problems found by the OECD include increasing drug costs, long treatment queues, and a shortage of doctors outside the cities.
One remedy recommended by the OECD is that doctors working at public health clinics should be given a set annual budget for medicines.
The OECD also recommends that the system of rebates for prescription drugs should be in the hands of local authorities and the occupational health system, rather than the Social Insurance Institution (KELA), as is now the case.
The OECD report also calls for an expansion of the role of nurses. One proposal is that nurses should be given the right to prescribe medicines in certain clear circumstances.
The economic assessment of Finnish health care includes about 20 proposals for improving the efficiency of the system.
One of the key themes of the report is that municipalities should be given a greater role in commissioning special medical services.
The report also finds a certain amount of inequality in the availability of health care. Those with jobs have easier access to treatment than the unemployed. However, this is also seen as an indication of an occupational health system that functions well.
"Many countries would be pleased to be able to offer health services of this quality at this kind of a price", noted John Martin of the OECD’s Directorate for Employment, Labour, and Social Affairs on Wednesday.
Health care costs amount to 7.4 percent of Finnish GDP, while the average for OECD countries is 8.8 percent. Finns are also more satisfied with their health care services than citizens of most other OECD countries.
Helsingin Sanomat
|
| 8.12.2005 - TODAY |
 OECD report: Finnish health care system is in fairly good shape |
|
